Intelenet launches Care for Life programme
not only to support underprivileged children, but also
to inculcate a caring attitude in its staff

SULEKHA NAIR

Donating cash to a charity is one thing. Getting
involved is another. Opting for the latter, the largely
young employees of Intelenet Global Services Ltd decided
to pool in not only their money, but also efforts for
the cause of underprivileged children this festive season.

Intelenet Global Services Ltd, a joint venture
between TCS & HDFC, launched its ‘Care for Life’ programme
for inmates of Child Rehabilitation And Youth Oriented
Nationwide Services (Crayons), an NGO, at its
corporate office in Mumbai last week. The idea is to facilitate
adoption of 15 underprivileged children, to begin with.
More adoption programmes are to be launched in 2004.

Crayons focusses particularly on physically
handicapped, street children and orphaned children.
Project Crayons was started eight years back by Devika
Kuloovar, an educationist, in Mangalore. The project supports
350 children in Mangalore, who are provided free schooling.

Talking about the initiative, Susir Kumar,
CEO, Intelenet, elaborates, “The programme is
to achieve two-fold objectives. Firstly, it will aim to
provide direct help to as many underprivileged children
as possible and, secondly, it will help inculcate the
ethos of care in the 2,500-plus Intelenet employees. We
want to give back to society by associating ourselves
with such noble programmes.”

He adds, “We care. We go that extra mile. It’s this
sentiment that has helped us launch this adoption programme.
The Care for Life is a manifestation of the deep-rooted
culture of care that exists in Intelenet.”

Adds Sean Pereira, head of operations, Intelenet,
who was actively involved in launching the initiative:
“We lead the sector in almost every service aspect. Intelenet
is the first BPO to launch such a programme, which gives
us immense pleasure.”

The initiative was kickstarted with a Christmas party
for the children in the Intelenet office premises. Understandably,
the children enjoyed the bonhomie and squealed with delight
on receiving gifts. Twelve-year-old Anita, the oldest
child at Crayons, was all smiles after the party. “I am
so happy to have been shown the entire office. I have
enjoyed this party with Santa Claus,” she enthused.

In Mumbai, Crayons has a number of projects.
It takes care of street children at its shelter in Malad
called Nirmaan. The children, 15 in all,
are in the age groups of one and a half years to 12 years.
“This shelter was started on an experimental basis,” says
Pavan S K, CEO, Crayons, Mumbai office.

“Now we have requests from a lot many street children
but we can’t take them in as the shelter can only take
15 children. We are looking for a bigger place so that
we can accommodate many more,” he says. It was for these
children that Intelenet hosted the Christmas party. “The
children were delighted,” recalls Mr Pavan. “They have
never attended a party before and this was pure fun for
them.”

Crayons also supports a school, Bharat Mata
School, in Malad. The school has a strength of
1,660 children, including 1,000 children supported by
Crayons. The NGO takes care of their education, nutrition,
books, uniform and basic medical expenses. Besides, at
Little Angels School in Andheri (E),
Crayons has admitted 30 children from the nearby slum
area.